A New Writer in Maskerade: Greetings and Salutations! And all that.

This is probably the hardest thing to do, this talking about oneself part. I mean, I could write a two thousand word article without thinking too hard about it, within some hours, with lots of coffee. But a self-introduction? That takes days, even weeks of introspection. I have to identify what it is that defines me, insert a couple of bad jokes, and then put it up for the dedicated denizens of the Internet to see. It’s daunting. But I’ve thought deeply about this, underneath a waterfall in Nagoya, and I think I can do this. I shall begin with a…

Hi. They call me Maskerade around here parts. I’m an amateur writer and was humbled and utterly thrilled when Zz and his awesome band accepted me as a contributor for this brilliant blog. I shall try my very best to produce the finest works for your reading pleasure.

I’ve been watching anime for 15 years now, since the high school days. I devoured series after series in my university days, but now that I’m in the realm of full-time work, I do find that anime-viewing has decreased quite a bit and now pick the ones I really like. I completely believe that anime has shaped me somewhat. I went through various phases in my childhood trying to be a revolver-wielding robot-samurai after watching Rurouni Kenshin, Evangelion and Cowboy Bebop. I still make this attempt. You should see the looks on the street.

I’m a big lover of anime music and though I’m more partial towards jazz, rock and instrumental/classical music types, as long it sounds good and is made with feeling, I’ll like it. Yoko Kanno is my goddess, L’Arc-en-Ciel my gods, Nujabes (RIP) my muse and there are way too many indie J-rock bands for me to keep track of, try as I might. I hope this kind of gives you an idea of what I do listen to. Just incidentally, I was having a karaoke session with some friends of mine, a couple of them Japanese. Now, I can’t speak Japanese but when someone put on Evangelion’s “Cruel Angel’s Thesis,” my lips automatically moved along. I couldn’t help it. The song was ingrained in me. Of course, I was rubbish at the second verse, but the body remembered first verse and chorus. I had to sing it.

Now, I don’t really have much in musical background. I sang in a choir in junior college, so I do have some basics, but nothing too technical. I can’t go into the gritty bits of the song, but I’ll focus on the emotions they invoke and what the overall feel of the album is trying to achieve is. Hopefully, I can convey a good sense of the album for you out there. I’ll probably focus on the backlog, the missing songs from long ago, and try to make this blog the foremost site for anime music reviews. Then, I’ll gain a few fans. Then, I’ll take over the world. One step at a time. With much evil laughter. Very evil.

I’ll leave you with this. Anime music has grown so much, it currently rivals anything Hollywood can give us. It’s definitely surpasses music that television series have provided. It’s a soundtrack over the span of episodes, designed to evoke emotions while watching coloured images interact with each other. It’s brilliant. I love it. And I hope to love it even more.

I thank you for reading my ramblings and reviews to come, and should you have any comments, critiques and love, please do not hesitate to send them my way!

Do the impossible, see the invisible. ROW ROW, FIGHT DA POWAH

About the author

I'm an avid listener of Anime Music, with Yoko Kanno my Goddess. I'm also a huge fan of jazz and have enjoyed the currents of the indie Jrock scene these past years. I'm also an unfortunate rambler and starving writer, all of which leads me to write reviews for this fair blog. I tend to stare a lot.

Wow, for over a decade? That’s commitment! =D But I have to admit, Kanno is godly enough to worship. And admiration for a decade cannot be sustained with anything other than true substance (or just being utterly deaf, in the case of some people XD)

Hello, there! You’re all idealistic and peppy now, but just wait until the horrors of blogging slowly reveal themselves, tearing at the very fabric of your soul until you’re left unsure of whether or not the clicking sounds coming from your hands are the keys on the keyboard or the beaks of the ravens picking at your bare bones.

@rhythmroo: Thanks! I shall do my best to beat the er… rest. Yup, definite awkward phrases you can expect from me!

@Aftershok: That sounds like what I saw to the newbies at work, except I substitute ‘ravenous hordes of vultures’ for ‘ravens’, and ‘lifeless eyes’ for ‘bare bones’. I think the idea is the same. Can’t wait for it!